Tension: Zeal for God and Spiritual Passivity
There's a necessary tension we all live with, and it's dangerous. The tension exists between "zeal for God" and "passive spiritual contentment." Let me explain.
It must be natural for believers to long for a greater sense of God's presence in their lives; this is what I mean by "zeal for God." We have been given the fullness of God (Colossians 2:9-10). We are one with Christ and seated with Him (Ephesians 2:6). We have received the Spirit of Adoption and are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17). We live with enduring faith (Romans 5:1-5) during difficult times. We rest in the finished work of Christ and receive His love (John 1:12) and all it gives us. We daily respond with surrendered, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led lives of faith (Romans 8, Galatians 5), abiding with King Jesus and His word (John 15:1-9), trusting the Father to lead us by His Spirit. We acknowledge, embrace, and commit to a Matthew 6:33 lifestyle. Matthew 6:33 (God's Word Translation) says, "But first, be concerned [seek] His kingdom and what has His approval. Then all these things will be provided for you." The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) reiterates the priority of actively loving our Trinitarian God above all other things.
"Passive spiritual contentment" is when we refuse to believe, pursue, or be zealous for more of King Jesus and His Kingdom than what we live in and choose to be content with what is. Sometimes, spiritual, passive contentment results from being infected by a virus of misordered priorities. Jesus addresses this in verses preceding His call to seek His kingdom and love Him above all things. Here's a summary of Matthew 6:25-32:
Jesus advises against worrying about material needs like food, drink, and clothing, asserting that life is more than these things.
He uses examples from nature, like birds and flowers, to illustrate God's care and provision, highlighting the futility of excessive worry.
In Paul's writing, as a prisoner from a prison cell, he says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" [1].
I am sharing this message to help us learn to live with godly contentment in our circumstances without sacrificing our zeal for God. God is good, and He is for us. The understandable care and worry associated with our circumstances can affect our everyday living, causing unhealthy, passive spiritual contentment instead of zeal to see the goodness of God in the land of our living. Stay hungry for God. Stay content in your circumstances because He is good.
Photo Credit: Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash